Madison, Wis. --- Eighth-seeded Minnesota State women's hockey lost to top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Wisconsin 6-0 in the second game of a best-of-three quarterfinal series in the 2017 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs on Saturday afternoon at LaBahn Arena.
 
With the loss, Minnesota State (7-26-4) is eliminated from the 2017 WCHA Playoffs and its season comes to an end. However, the Mavericks won more games in 2016-17 than they did in 2014-15 and 2015-16 combined (6).      
 
The Badgers (29-2-4) jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Mavericks in the first period of play. Junior forward Emily Clark (17-25--42) scored at 00:32 and senior forward Sarah Nurse (23-23--46) found the back of the net at 14:45. Freshman goaltender Chloe Crosby (1-3-0), who made 39 saves on the afternoon, stopped 13 shots in the first period to keep the Mavericks within striking distance. Crosby has eclipsed the 30-save plateau in each of her four collegiate starts.
 
However, the Badger attack was relentless – scoring three more goals in the second period. Nurse scored the first and third goals of the period – both on the power play – at 1:59 and 10:51, respectively, giving her a hat trick. Clark scored the second goal of the period – her second of the afternoon – at 4:16.
 
Wisconsin added on one more goal in the third period and held the Mavericks off the scoreboard to make the final score 6-0. Junior forward Annie Pankowski (22-28--50) scored at 14:19 of the period on the power play.  
 
Senior goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens (26-1-4) stopped all 16 shots faced to record the shutout for Wisconsin.
 
Minnesota State finished 0-for-3 on the power play and Wisconsin finished 3-for-6 with the man advantage.      
 
Minnesota State was outshot 45-16 on the afternoon.

Listen to Minnesota State women's hockey head coach John Harrington's postgame comments about the game and the season below.